Russia is a large and growing market that offers a huge potential for U.S. exporters. In 2010, Russia imported $10.7 billion in goods from the United States making it Russia’s fourth largest source of imports. Companies and farms from all 50 states export a wide variety of goods and services to Russia.

Below are Sector Opportunity Reports that ITA produced to highlight the tariff and non-tariff commitments Russia is undertaking in key U.S. export sectors. In addition, ITA’sState Opportunity Reports outline the opportunities and benefits for Russia’s WTO accession for all 50 states, their companies, workers, farmers, and ranchers.

For additional information about Russia’s WTO accession and the benefits to the United States, please click the links

Sector Opportunity Reports

State Opportunity Reports

U.S.-Russia Trade Facts

Russia is currently our 23rd largest goods trading partner with $31.7 billion in total (two way) goods trade during 2010. Goods exports totaled $6.0 billion; Goods imports totaled $25.7 billion. The U.S. goods trade deficit with Russia was $19.7 billion in 2010.

Exports

Russia was the United States’ 37th largest goods export market in 2010.

U.S. goods exports to Russia in 2010 were $6.0 billion, up 12.6% ($674 million) from 2009.

The top export categories (2-digit HS) in 2010 were: Machinery ($1.7 billion), Meat (poultry and pork) ($642 million), Vehicles ($484 million), Electrical Machinery ($395 million), and Optic and Medical Instruments ($383 million).

U.S. exports of agricultural products to Russia totaled $1.1 billion in 2010 the 17th largest U.S. Ag export market. Leading categories include: red meats, fresh/chilled/frozen ($336 million), and poultry meat ($311 million).

Imports

Russia was the United States’ 17th largest supplier of goods imports in 2010.

U.S. goods imports from Russia totaled $25.7 billion in 2010, a 41.2% increase ($7.5 billion) from 2009. U.S. imports from Russia accounted for 1.3% of total U.S. imports in 2010.

Source: Commerce.Gov

Nation2Nation publishes articles of interest to professionals involved in Supply Chain Security, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Import Export, International Trade, Border Security, Transportation, Transportation Safety, Trucking, Railroad, Air Freight, Maritime and Cargo Management.  Contact Jeff Platts at contact@nation2nation.net.

Freight Cargo Map of the United States

- / N2N / – I have an acquaintance who owns a small, non-asset third party logistics (3PL) company.  He is constantly complaining to me about how cutthroat the transportation business is and how his customers and vendors are always cheating him out of money.  He spends a great deal of time trying to collect money and often ends up having to sue companies in order to get them to pay.

I’ve been involved in the transportation industry for a little over three years now and I can tell you that my experience has been exactly the opposite of that of my friend’s.  In three years I haven’t had a single customer stiff me for so much as a penny.  Sure, there’ve been a few slow-pays, but that’s to be expected.  In these 3 years I’ve met a lot of good people and I now consider many of them to be friends.

As a consultant that helps companies get C-TPAT certified my primary customers are importers, NVOCC’s (non vessel operating common carriers / international freight forwarders), U.S. Customs Brokers and Cross-Border Highway Carriers.  I also offer a program called “C-TPAT Compliant” for those companies that aren’t eligible for C-TPAT certification such as draymen, customs bonded warehouses, domestic trucking companies, most 3PL’s and domestic shipping and distribution companies. I think that’s a pretty good cross-section of the industry.  Even so, I’ve never encountered anyone who’s tried to cheat me.

Maybe I’ve just been lucky or maybe I’m just plain naive.  But what about you?  I’d be very interested to hear about your experiences.  I’m sure there are probably a lot of horror stories out there, but I’ll bet there are also some nice stories about transportation companies watching out for each other and stepping up to do the right thing.

——

Jeff Platts is the president of Combination Sales, Inc., a consulting firm with locations in California & New York.  Jeff can be contacted at 714-788-1531 or jeff@combinationsales.com.

Nation2Nation publishes articles of interest to professionals involved in Supply Chain Security, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Import Export, International Trade, Border Security, Transportation, Transportation Safety, Trucking, Railroad, Air Freight, Maritime and Cargo Management.  contact@nation2nation.net.

- / – N2N – / – 58 percent of U.S. exporters export to only one market, mainly Canada. Many small and midsized companies that work with the U.S. Commercial Service have found new customers in dozens of markets. Among the emerging markets for U.S. companies are Vietnam, India, Indonesia, China, Taiwan and Thailand. We have created some short videos to give you some insight on why you want to look at these countries as your next export market.

Many small and midsized companies that work with the U.S. Commercial Service have found new customers in dozens of markets. Among the emerging markets for U.S. companies are Vietnam, India, Indonesia, China, Taiwan and Thailand. From the short videos on this page, you’ll learn why these markets are important. You’ll also learn about a few of the many sectors where U.S. companies are competitive. Importantly, you’ll also meet the top U.S. commercial diplomats in these markets who, along with their staff of local market and industry experts, will help you evaluate, enter and succeed.

China is the world’s fastest-growing major economy, and the fastest-growing U.S. export market.  It is now our second-largest trading partner.  While China’s GDP grew by 10.3 percent in 2010, U.S. exports to China were up 32 percent, reaching $92 billion, and have more than quadrupled since 2000.   Our trade deficit in goods with China totaled $273 billion in 2010, but we had a surplus of $6.7 billion in services trade in 2009.   China is the world’s third-largest market for luxury goods behind Japan and the United States.  There are more than 200 million Chinese citizens with a per capita income over $8,000, and most economists predict a surge in the number of people achieving true middle class status during the next several years.

India is seeing rapid economic growth, a growing middle class, and increased urbanization.  India’s GDP in 2009 was the 11th largest in the world and 4th-largest in purchasing-power parity terms.  GDP growth is expected to reach approximately 8% each year through 2015.  Between 2002 and 2009, U.S. goods exports to India quadrupled, growing from $4.1 billion to more than $16.4 billion.  India has large potential for investments in infrastructure in order to continue its growth: Over $1 trillion in infrastructure development needs between now and 2030 including in energy (renewable and civil nuclear), as well as in health care (medical technology, pharmaceuticals, and health IT), defense and homeland security, civil aviation (aircraft and infrastructure), retail and franchising, and ICT.

With 237 million people, the world’s fourth-largest population, 50% of whom are under 30, Indonesia has Southeast Asia’s largest economy, predicted to grow by 8% in 2011.  Located on the world’s major trade routes and blessed with extensive natural resources, Indonesia is a top-ten market for U.S. agricultural products and within the top 30 overall markets for U.S. exports.

With a population of only 23 million, Taiwan is our ninth-largest trading partner, ahead of much larger economies. Taiwan’s GDP grew by almost 10.5 percent in 2010, while U.S. exports increased by 40 percent. Taiwan has considerably lowered its tariffs since its accession to the WTO in 2002. The island has benefited economically from expanding business activities into the Chinese Mainland. Taiwan imports a wide variety of electronic, optical and precision instruments, information and communications products, transportation equipment, machinery, and electrical products. Its high-tech sector relies heavily on technology licenses and imports of specialty components from the United States.

Thailand’s population is 68 million. Two-way trade was about $33 billion in 2010, with $23.6 billion in Thai exports to the U.S. and $9 billion in U.S. exports to Thailand, an increase of 28 percent, while Thailand’s GDP went up 8 percent. Thailand’s economic growth has created opportunities for U.S. companies in infrastructure sectors, including electrical power, telecommunications, and renewable energy, and also for U.S. medical products, cosmetics, security equipment, food supplements and educational services.

Vietnam is a true emerging market, offering ground floor and growing opportunities for U.S. exporters and investors. Vietnam’s economic growth rate has been among the highest in the world, expanding at an average of 7.2 percent per year from 2001 to 2010.  Since the 2001 Bilateral Trade Agreement, trade between the U.S. and Vietnam has increased over six-fold, from $2.9 billion in 2002 to $18.6 billion in 2010.  In 2010, U.S. exports to Vietnam grew by 19.8 percent to $3.7 billion.

FREE VIDEOS

Source = Export.gov

Nation2Nation publishes articles of interest to professionals involved in Supply Chain Security, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Import Export, International Trade, Border Security, Transportation, Transportation Safety, Trucking, Railroad, Air Freight, Maritime and Cargo Management.  Contact Jeff Platts at contact@nation2nation.net.

This post was submitted by efactories.

The UAE-based Tiger Group was established in 1968, and today includes six companies specializing in engineering, manufacturing, contracting and trading: Tiger Steel Engineering; Tigerprofiles & Insulation; Al Nimr Civil Engineering; Al Nimr Steel Trading; Tiger Steel Industries; and Tiger Steel Engineering India.

This post was submitted by emirates factories.

“This agreement represents the shared commitment of both the United States and China to enhance global peace and security by working to prevent nuclear smuggling,” said Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman. “Preventing illicit transfers of nuclear materials is a critical part of NNSA’s efforts to implement President Obama’s goal of securing vulnerable nuclear material around the world. The success of this program is due in no small part to continued and future cooperation and support from partners such as the People’s Republic of China.”

NNSA is working to expand and strengthen nonproliferation efforts throughout East Asia. Through its Second Line of Defense (SLD) program, NNSA will provide radiation detection equipment and support the development of training materials for use at the Qinhuangdao Training Center. The radiation detection training facility at the Qinhuangdao Training Center will be the first of its kind in the region.

This agreement will complement ongoing cooperative efforts established by a 2005 MOU to combat nuclear and radiological smuggling. The 2005 agreement supports NNSA’s Megaports Initiative, which is working to equip the Yangshan Deepwater Port in Shanghai with radiation detection equipment.

NNSA’s SLD program works collaboratively with foreign governments at land border crossings, airports and seaports to install specialized radiation detection equipment, mobile radiation detection equipment, and associated communications equipment. Through its SLD program, NNSA also provides training to host government law enforcement officers and other personnel to detect smuggled nuclear and other radioactive materials.

Nation2Nation publishes articles of interest to professionals involved in Supply Chain Security, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Import Export, International Trade, Border Security, Transportation, Transportation Safety, Trucking, Railroad, Air Freight, Maritime and Cargo Management.  Contact Jeff Platts at contact@nation2nation.net.

An exit from the cross-border tunnel was found in a warehouse in Otay Mesa, California where 20 tons of marijuana were stored.

The tunnel is described as a crawlspace-sized passageway, connecting an Otay Mesa warehouse in the 9000 block of Via de la Amistad with a similar building in Tijuana, Mexico. The tunnel is equipped with rail, lighting and ventilation systems. Based upon preliminary indications, authorities believe the passageway was probably completed very recently.

While conducting surveillance in the Otay Mesa area, Task Force agents observed suspicious activity involving a tractor trailer truck parked at the warehouse where the tunnel entrance was later discovered. After the truck left the location, agents kept it under surveillance, alerting the Border Patrol as it approached the traffic checkpoint in Temecula. At the traffic checkpoint, California Highway Patrol and Border Patrol agents stopped the vehicle. A subsequent search of the truck’s trailer revealed 10 tons of marijuana packed in large cargo boxes. The vehicle’s driver and passenger were taken into custody and will be prosecuted on federal drug smuggling charges.

Following the seizure, Tunnel Task Force agents obtained a federal search warrant for the Otay Mesa warehouse. When they entered the building Tuesday night they discovered a second cache of marijuana, weighing an estimated 15 tons, and the entrance to the cross-border tunnel. Task Force agents quickly alerted Mexican military personnel who quickly located the tunnel’s other entrance at a warehouse in Tijuana. Inside that building, Mexican authorities recovered another four tons of marijuana, bringing the estimated street value of the marijuana seized in the case so far at approximately $29 million.

“This major cross-border drug seizure is an outstanding example of border-centric intelligence fusion and coordination of operations with our law enforcement partners to target the criminal organizations that seek to do harm to our country,” said Acting Chief Patrol Agent Richard Barlow.

The director of ICE addresses the press outside the warehouse in Otay Mesa, California where the drug-smuggling tunnel was discovered.

The discovery of the tunnel is the result of a continuing investigation by the San Diego Tunnel Task Force, which is made up of representatives from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Drug Enforcement Administration and the California National Guard.

Source = CBP

Nation2Nation publishes articles of interest to professionals involved in Supply Chain Security, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Import Export, International Trade, Border Security, Transportation, Transportation Safety, Trucking, Railroad, Air Freight, Maritime and Cargo Management. Contact Jeff Platts at contact@nation2nation.net.

View and/or download the free report

A comprehensive report to the president by the Export Promotion Cabinet on the National Export Initiative (NEI) highlights the efforts multiple federal agencies are already making to support U.S. exports and emphasizes the next steps that must be taken to meet the administration’s five-year goal of doubling U.S. exports and supporting millions of jobs.

President Barack Obama speaking to the President's Export Council

With U.S. exports up significantly during the first half of 2010, the Export Promotion Cabinet, in a recent report, urged President Barack Obama to continue supporting policies that provide more support and trade financing to U.S. businesses to help them dramatically increase their international sales. “Report to the President on the National Export Initiative,” was released on September 16, 2010.

According to the report, under the goals of the president’s NEI, “Exports need to grow from $1.57 trillion in 2009 to $3.14 trillion by 2015. This will only happen if U.S. companies, farmers, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)—the engines of economic growth—receive the encouragement and support they need as they seek new markets for their goods and services.”

Obama announced the NEI in January 2010. It seeks to double U.S. exports by 2015 and to support millions of new jobs. The president released the report in advance of his meeting with members of his newly appointed President’s Export Council (PEC) in Washington, D.C.

Advice from Industry Leaders

Since its creation in 1973, the PEC has served as a critical line of communication between the private sector and the government regarding export policy and export promotion activities. On July 7, 2010, Obama appointed 18 additional leaders from business, agriculture, and labor to join representatives from government and Congress to a newly reconstituted PEC to provide advice on how the government can facilitate growth in U.S. exports. (See August 2010 issue of International Trade Update.) The PEC’s recommendations will play a vital role in the success of the NEI.

In his meeting with PEC members, Obama noted the challenges that lay ahead. “When I made this initial announcement [of the NEI], some were skeptical, but … if we are increasing our exports by 14, 15 percent per year—something that is achievable—then we can meet our goal. And that’s one of the ways that we’re going to make this economy in the 21st century what it was in the 20th century—an unparalleled force for opportunity and prosperity for all our people.”

According to the NEI report, U.S. exports increased almost 18 percent in the first six months of 2010 compared to the same period last year.

Lending, Program Outreach Grow

The NEI report notes the progress that has been made in providing loans to U.S. companies to increase exports and in making businesses aware of the different kinds of export assistance available. The report also details the progress in implementing several initiatives across the federal government that will be critical to the success of the NEI.

For example, in 2010, the Export–Import Bank of the United States (Ex–Im Bank) increased its loan approvals by nearly 20 percent over the previous year, from $18.3 billion to $21.5 billion. This change included an increase in small-business loan approvals from $3.6 million to $4.1 million. As a result, an estimated 30,000 U.S. jobs were supported by Ex–Im Bank financing.

Another example is the Small Business Administration (SBA), which also stepped up its efforts to support SMEs. In July 2010, SBA successfully launched a pilot version of its Export Outreach Team training program in Baltimore, Maryland, and plans to roll out the program nationally in 2011.

Trade Missions

In addition to an unprecedented level of support during the past year for trade missions that take representatives from U.S. companies directly to foreign markets, there has been significant progress from bringing foreign buyers to the United States. Under its International Buyer Program, the Department of Commerce has secured the participation of nearly 8,800 foreign buyers at trade shows in the United States, which has facilitated more than $660 million in export sales.

The Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Development Agency (USTDA) have also had success with reverse trade missions. The Department of Agriculture, for example, recruited more than 1,500 foreign buyers between January and September 2010. USTDA hosted 30 reverse trade missions during the same period, which represented more than $1 billion in export opportunities for U.S. companies.

For More Information

For more information about the President’s Export Council, visit the council’s Web page. The complete text of the Report to the President on the National Export Initiative, along with more information and news on the NEI, is available online at www.export.gov/nei.

The Way Forward

The NEI report emphasizes the importance of exporting to the U.S. economy, and it highlights the vast opportunities that exist for U.S. companies to sell their products to the 95 percent of the world’s consumers who live outside the United States. The report’s recommendations range from focusing on key markets and sectors to implementing specific strategies to help SME services exporters. Other recommendations include the following:

Expanding and improving existing programs, such as trade missions
Increasing export credit
Elevating and focusing commercial advocacy
Ensuring fair treatment for U.S. companies within the rules of the global trading system
Working with other countries to pursue policies that will achieve strong, sustainable, and more balanced global growth
Obama, noting the importance of exports and the success of the NEI to future U.S. economic growth, told the members of the PEC, “From the day that I took office, my administration’s highest priority has been to pull our economy out of the deepest recession of our lifetimes, to put people back to work, and to position our economy on a path of long-term and sustainable growth.”

Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, a member of the PEC, added, “Helping American companies sell more abroad will create jobs and boost our economy. This report is a blueprint for doing just that.”

View and/or download the free report

Source = ITA

Nation2Nation publishes articles of interest to professionals involved in Supply Chain Security, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Import Export, International Trade, Border Security, Transportation, Transportation Safety, Trucking, Railroad, Air Freight, Maritime and Cargo Management. Contact Jeff Platts at contact@nation2nation.net.

Download the free 2010 C-TPAT Partner Survey PDF here.

Nation2Nation publishes articles of interest to professionals involved in Supply Chain Security, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Import Export, International Trade, Border Security, Transportation, Transportation Safety, Trucking, Railroad, Air Freight, Maritime and Cargo Management. Contact Jeff Platts at contact@nation2nation.net.

Merchandise exports of developed economies are predicted to expand by 11.5% in volume terms while the rest of the world (including developing economies and the Commonwealth of Independent States) is expected to see an increase of 16.5% for the year.

This would be the fastest year-on-year expansion of trade ever recorded in a data series going back to 1950. But such a large growth rate should be understood in the context of a severely depressed level of trade in 2009, when world exports plunged by 12.2%. The next fastest year-on-year growth was 11.8% in 1976, one year after the then unprecedented decline of 7.3% in 1975.

“The strong recovery of trade signals improved economic activity worldwide,” said WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy. “This surge in trade flows provides the means to climb out of this painful economic recession and can help put people back to work. It underscores, as well, the wisdom governments have shown in rejecting protectionism.”

World merchandise trade rose sharply in the first two quarters of 2010, driven by the recovery of GDP in both developed and developing economies (Chart 1). Most economists expect output growth to slow in the second half as fiscal stimulus measures expire and the inventory cycle winds down. This is likely to restrain the growth of trade in the second half of 2010 compared to the first half.

The global trade growth projection is consistent with the WTO Secretariat’s time-series model for import demand in a range of advanced economies, and assumes a reduced rate of GDP growth for developed countries in the second half of 2010 rather than an absolute decline.

Risks to the forecast are mostly on the downside, particularly if an unforeseen financial or macroeconomic shock triggers another economic downturn. However, some upside potential exists as well if growth is better than expected in the 2nd half of the year.

This would be the fastest year-on-year expansion of trade ever recorded in a data series going back to 1950. But such a large growth rate should be understood in the context of a severely depressed level of trade in 2009, when world exports plunged by 12.2%. The next fastest year-on-year growth was 11.8% in 1976, one year after the then unprecedented decline of 7.3% in 1975.

“The strong recovery of trade signals improved economic activity worldwide,” said WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy. “This surge in trade flows provides the means to climb out of this painful economic recession and can help put people back to work. It underscores, as well, the wisdom governments have shown in rejecting protectionism.”

World merchandise trade rose sharply in the first two quarters of 2010, driven by the recovery of GDP in both developed and developing economies (Chart 1). Most economists expect output growth to slow in the second half as fiscal stimulus measures expire and the inventory cycle winds down. This is likely to restrain the growth of trade in the second half of 2010 compared to the first half.

The global trade growth projection is consistent with the WTO Secretariat’s time-series model for import demand in a range of advanced economies, and assumes a reduced rate of GDP growth for developed countries in the second half of 2010 rather than an absolute decline.

Risks to the forecast are mostly on the downside, particularly if an unforeseen financial or macroeconomic shock triggers another economic downturn. However, some upside potential exists as well if growth is better than expected in the 2nd half of the year.

Source = WTO

Nation2Nation publishes articles of interest to professionals involved in Supply Chain Security, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Import Export, International Trade, Border Security, Transportation, Transportation Safety, Trucking, Railroad, Air Freight, Maritime and Cargo Management. Contact Jeff Platts at contact@nation2nation.net.